What You Don’t Hear

200 likes on Facebook! Thank you guys!

For you on FB, you know that last Sunday afternoon I had the privilege of playing with the Maple City Chamber Orchestra in their children’s concert. Afterwards, I hosted an “instrument petting” for the children in the lobby where kids crowded around the harp, trying to wack the strings.

But as I sat down to write about this event, I realized that I posted more on my page about one concert then I have for almost any other performance. At first glance, you might think all I do is orchestra. It is easy to post about orchestra concerts—they are for the community and set in the photogenic Sauder Concert Hall. Everyone is invited. But I play solo harp at around 20 events per month that don’t have photogenic backgrounds or open invitations. Orchestra musicians sit on a stage, agreeing to be stared at and photographed. But if I am play my small harp by the deathbed in a senior facility, it is not the right moment for pictures.

So in this post I want to tell you about a few stories from this month you didn’t get to see, the songs you didn’t get to hear, the amazing music moments that didn’t have an audience.

The young couple who bought my CDs to play for their two-year-old daughter who had spent the last 20 minutes in her farther’s arms staring silently at the harp.

The stroke patient who I knew before she lost her words. I could still recognize the garbled request for Danny Boy. She clapped one-handed when I finished playing.

The very cold outdoor wedding where I was wearing fingerless gloves and two scarves. The groom had tracked down the sheet music for the bride’s favorite (and very obscure) love song and asked me to play it softly in the background during their vows. The vows she had written for him quoted the lyrics from that song.

These are just some of the amazing moments I feel privileged to share in because of the wonder of music. Make your own moments by adding live harp music to your event, church, or club, recommending me to a senior facility you know or just picking up your own copy of my new CD.

Thank you for liking my page and keep in touch for more big public events coming up!